Nimbus → Sherwin Williams
The closest Sherwin Williams matches for Benjamin Moore Nimbus (1465), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Sherwin Williams Equivalent for Nimbus
If you love Benjamin Moore Nimbus but need a Sherwin Williams alternative, you are not alone. This is one of the most common cross-brand paint matching searches, whether you are working with a painter who prefers Sherwin Williams, your local store does not carry Benjamin Moore, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Nimbus (1465) is a medium gray with warm green-gray undertones. A medium gray with warm green undertones. Deeper than Silver Chain, greener than Smoke Embers. A sophisticated mid-tone neutral. To find a good Sherwin Williams match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 43.28) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Nimbus and every Sherwin Williams color using the CIE2000 Delta E formula, which measures how different two colors look to the human eye. A Delta E under 2 means most people cannot tell the colors apart. Between 2 and 4, you might notice a difference in certain lighting. Above 5, the difference is clearly visible side by side.
The results are decent but not perfect. The closest Sherwin Williams option is Mindful Gray (SW 7016) with a Delta E of 4.1, which is a "good match" level match. Mindful Gray is slightly warmer and less green. Similar depth. You will want to test a sample before committing, as the difference may be noticeable in certain lighting.
Sherwin Williams Matches for Nimbus
Mindful Gray is slightly warmer and less green. Similar depth.
| Nimbus | Mindful Gray | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 43.28 | 48 |
| Hex | #BAB7B0 | #BFBAB2 |
| Undertone | Warm Green-Gray | Warm Greige |
| Family | Gray | Gray |
Undertone Comparison
Nimbus has warm green-gray undertones. A medium gray with warm green undertones. Deeper than Silver Chain, greener than Smoke Embers. A sophisticated mid-tone neutral.
Mindful Gray has warm greige undertones. A medium gray with warm beige undertones. Darker and more substantial than Agreeable Gray, but with a similar warm-neutral quality.
The undertone difference is worth paying attention to. While they are close in overall appearance, the different undertones mean they may diverge in certain lighting. Nimbus's warm green-gray quality may read differently than Mindful Gray's warm greige character, especially in rooms with strong directional light or colored accents that could pull out one undertone more than the other. Test a sample in your specific room before committing.
How These Colors Behave in Different Lighting
Nimbus in Your Room
The green is subtle but present. In bright rooms, it reads as a soft sage-gray. In dim rooms, it's a warm medium gray.
Mindful Gray in Your Room
Reads as a true medium gray in most rooms. The warmth prevents it from feeling cold. In bright light, the beige undertone is more visible.
LRV and Brightness
Nimbus has an LRV of 43.28, while Mindful Gray has an LRV of 48. These two colors reflect a very similar amount of light, so you should not notice a significant difference in room brightness when switching between them. The room will feel approximately the same in terms of light and space, which makes this a smoother transition.
Best Rooms for Nimbus
Benjamin Moore recommends Nimbus for: living room, bedroom, dining room, office, accent wall. With an LRV of 43.28, this is a medium color that is in the medium range, adding real depth and presence to a room. It works best in rooms with good natural light or as an accent wall color. In smaller or darker rooms, pair it with bright white trim to keep the space from feeling closed in.
Mindful Gray is recommended for: living room, bedroom, hallway, office, dining room. Both colors are recommended for similar applications, which confirms that this is a practical cross-brand match. You can use Mindful Gray in the same rooms you planned for Nimbus.
Nimbus in Other Brands
Looking for Nimbus equivalents in other brands besides Sherwin Williams? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Sherwin Williams match for Nimbus (1465) is Mindful Gray (SW 7016) with a Delta E of 4.1, which rates as a "good match" match. Mindful Gray is slightly warmer and less green. Similar depth. Delta E measures perceptual color distance on a scale where under 2 means nearly identical, 2 to 4 means close with subtle differences, and over 5 means clearly noticeable.
No, they are not identical. Nimbus is a Benjamin Moore color with warm green-gray undertones and an LRV of 43.28. Mindful Gray is a Sherwin Williams color with warm greige undertones and an LRV of 48. With a Delta E of 4.1, you will likely notice a difference, especially in bright or direct lighting. Paint formulations differ between brands, so even colors with similar values can look slightly different due to pigment concentration, binders, and finish.
With a Delta E of 4.1, the difference is enough that they should not be used on adjacent walls in the same room. You can use them in separate rooms of the same house, but be aware that walking from one room to the other may reveal the difference, especially if the rooms have similar lighting. For the most consistent look, pick one brand for all connected living spaces and reserve the other brand for visually separate rooms like bathrooms or bedrooms behind closed doors.
There are several practical reasons to look for a Sherwin Williams equivalent. Price differences between brands can be significant on large projects. Availability matters if your nearest paint store or home center specializes in Sherwin Williams. Some painters have strong preferences for one brand's formula based on coverage, dry time, or workability. And if you are touching up existing Sherwin Williams work, matching within the same brand gives you the best consistency for seamless results.
Match calculations use Delta E (CIE2000) computed from Lab color space conversion. Color data sourced from manufacturer specifications. Last reviewed: March 22, 2026.